


Fireworks and Sunshine

by grimHarpy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, F/M, Fred Weasley Lives, Hufflepuff Reader, I’m bad at tags, Marauder’s Map, Muggle-born, Post-Deathly Hallows, Pre-sorcerer’s stone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:22:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27602056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimHarpy/pseuds/grimHarpy
Summary: A small upper class family moves from New York to London, and are met with a startling revelation: their only daughter is a witch. They take this in stride, confident she will be the most brilliant, successful witch of her age. Unfortunately, she meets the Weasley twins.
Relationships: Angelina Johnson/Fred Weasley, Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley, George Weasley/Reader, George Weasley/hufflepuff reader, George Weasley/muggleborn reader, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Lee Jordan/Original Female Character(s), Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood, Penelope Clearwater/Percy Weasley, Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	1. Year One - Something New

“School books… where is a bookstore?” Her mother wonders aloud, looking up and down Diagon Alley. 

“There, mom!” Y/n says excitedly, pointing. 

Her father guides the small family through the crowd into the shop, his daughter taking the lead. In her haste, she walks into a young boy with red hair and nearly falls over. Her father catches her before she hits the ground and gives her a scolding look. The boy turns around with a disgruntled expression. He looks to be at least 14, and surrounded by what seems to be the rest of his family. 

“Percy what’s- oh!”

A tall man with red hair peers around the boy at y/n and her parents, and she blushes as her father sighs. 

“Apologies, young man, y/n here is a bit excited.”

“Are you American?” The boy asks curiously, immediately picking up on her father’s accent. 

“We recently moved to London on business,” her mother explains. “We didn’t expect anything like this to happen…”

“You’re Muggles! _American_ Muggles!” The man (presumably the boy’s father) says excitedly. 

“Excuse me?” Her father sounds bewildered.

“What’s a Muggle?” Y/n asks curiously. 

“Non-magic folk. Dad’s obsessed,” another young boy pipes up, closer to her age, maybe twelve? 

“He’d question you for hours if he could,” an identical boy adds from the other side of his father. 

“I’m Arthur, Arthur Weasley,” the man introduces himself enthusiastically, shaking y/n’s fathers hand vigorously. “Welcome to England!”

Arthur immediately starts bombarding her parents with questions. Why they moved here (branch transfer), what they do for work (father works for a computer manufacturer, mother stays at home), what a “comtuper” is… 

“Warned you,” one of the twins snickers, then nudges y/n with his elbow. “I’m Fred, and this is George. That stuck up git is Percy. Ron and Ginny are over there with mum.”

The boy she bumped into, Percy, sniffs snobbishly. The twins are a full head taller than y/n, but she’s small for her age. Percy is only a few inches taller than his brothers.

“I’m y/n,” she says shyly. 

“What house are you hoping to be in?” George asks. 

“What house…?” She’s confused. 

“Hogwarts has four houses that first years are sorted into,” Percy says before either twin can speak, explaining each house. 

“So which house do you hope to be in?” George repeats. 

“Hufflepuff sounds like a good house,” y/n says thoughtfully. 

“Hufflepuff? A bunch of tree huggers and softies, they are,” Fred snickers, then winces when his twin elbows him harshly in the side. “Ouch, what-“

“It isn’t so bad, all the Hufflepuffs I know are really nice,” George says with an awkward smile. 

“Arthur stop bothering the poor Muggles, they have shopping to do, too!”

A short red haired woman, presumably the mother of the Weasley family, approaches with arms full of books (handed off to Percy and the Twins). 

“Molly, they’re _American_!”

“You heard me, leave them alone!”

“See you at school,” George says with a crooked smile as the rest of his family files out of the store. 

—

That smile sticks with her for the rest of the summer as she pours over all her brand new books, eager to learn about this new world of magic. She often stares in awe at the barn owl her parents had bought her, which she names Newt, after Newt Scamander, the author of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_. He spends a lot of time sleeping, and he seems quite content to perch on top of her dresser most of the day. She doesn’t know what he gets up to when she lets him out at night, but she assumes he’s hunting or something to that effect. 

She also marvels over her wand. Ash and unicorn hair, eleven inches. Consistent across all schools of magic, Mr. Ollivander had said. Her uniforms, clothes and books are neatly packed in her suitcase when the day comes to catch the train. Yet when her family approaches platforms nine and ten, they look at each other in confusion. 

“Was there something we missed?” Her mother wonders nervously.

“Y/n!” A familiar voice calls at the same time as another, older voice calls for her father. 

The three turn to see the Weasleys. A small grin breaks across her face when she sees the twins running up to her with their carts. 

“Fred, George, slow down! You’ll crash!” Mrs. Weasley shouts after them. 

They slow but don’t stop until they’re right next to y/n with wide grins. 

“Bet you would’ve missed the train if we weren’t here to show the way,” Fred snickers. 

“But we’ll be generous and help you out,” George smirks. 

The Weasley’s happily show y/n’s family how to reach platform nine and three quarters, and the sight of the train takes her breath away. Her father helps her lug her suitcase onto the train and she hugs her parents fiercely. 

“I know you’ll do great at this school, you’re a wonderful student,” her mother sniffles. “Stay out of trouble!”

“When have you ever known me to get into trouble?” Y/n rolls her eyes with a smile. 

—

Y/n approaches the Sorting Hat quickly, a nervous frown on her face as she sits on the stool. Professor Sprout places the hat on the girl’s head and the hall waits. It takes several minutes before- 

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

A wide grin bursts across y/n’s face as she jumps off the stool and hands over the Hat before running to the cheering table. George fails to hide his disappointed frown and his twin elbows him in the side. 

“It’s not like we were gonna share classes with her anyway, she’s a year below us,” Fred reminds him. 

“Whatever…”

—

Y/n is trying to find the owlery when she turns a corner and almost walks right into George. 

“Oh, George! And Fred! Hey!” She grins. 

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Fred asks, raising an eyebrow. 

“I’m trying to find the owlery,” she sighs frustratedly, holding up her letter for her parents. 

“You’re writing home already?” Fred snickers, then covers it with a cough when he sees George’s face. 

“My parents are worried. I’m an only child and we’re new to the whole magic thing, so I’m keeping in touch as much as I can.”

“That’s cool that you’re close to your parents like that,” George says smoothly. 

“I wouldn’t say _that_ ,” she scoffs and rolls her eyes. “They like to hover, I’m their ‘precious little girl’ and all that.” 

The twins frown at her bitter expression. She watches something pass between them before they both grin down at her. 

“Come on, we’ll show you the way.”

—

She’s researching for a potions essay in the library, reaching for a book higher up, when another hand plucks it off the shelf. Y/n jumps in surprise and turns to see Fred smirking down at her, book in hand. She frowns at him then squeals in surprise as someone taps her shoulder from behind. Several people hush her as she turns around and glares at George. Both twins are fighting back laughter as she snatches the book from Fred’s hand. 

“Come with us, y/n, homework can wait,” George whispers in her ear. 

She smacks his shoulder and makes a shooing motion. Undeterred, George swipes her quill, his twin swiping her bag while she’s distracted. 

“Just for a little while, come on,” Fred whispers with a wicked grin. 

“Oh alright, just this once,” she sighs. 

The twins grin victoriously and return her things so she can pack up. She doesn’t think twice when George takes her hand to pull her along down the hall. Her bag dangles off her shoulder as they hurry up to the seventh floor. 

“This is a bathroom,” she says hesitantly, pausing outside the door. 

“No one ever uses it,” Fred shrugs then walks in. 

“Come on, we want to show you something,” George says encouragingly, pulling on her hand gently. 

“Alright,” she nods, giving him a trusting smile. 

It was a joke shop, to her surprise. Prank candy and joke toys, among other mischievous items. A fanged frisbee nearly bites her finger off and she skitters about a half a foot back while the twins laugh. 

—

“Go George and Fred!” Y/n calls from the stands.

The twins grin up at her from the field among a crowd of other students trying out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. They’re trying for the Beater positions and she’s rooting for them whole-heartedly. George is up first with a third year boy. They both seem to be doing well until the third year hits a bludger wrong and sends it flying toward y/n in the stands. She scrambles to try to move but George deflects it with a hard swing and it sails toward the goals. 

“You okay, y/n?” He calls to her. 

“I’m fine!” She laughs nervously, giving him a thumbs up.

Oliver Wood switches the third year out for Fred and it’s immediately evident that the twins are a force to be reckoned with as beaters together. George is slightly more aggressive while Fred is a touch more accurate in his aim. They’re both fantastic players and no one is surprised when they make the team. 

Y/n rushes out onto the field to meet them, cheering praise as she runs across the grass. George catches her in a tight hug, and she doesn’t notice the _look_ Fred gives his twin, who blushes. 

—

“Come on, my friend Diana showed me how to get into the kitchens!”

“Wicked!” Fred grins.

“Knew it was a good idea keeping you around,” George teases and she smacks him. 

Unthinking, she grabs George’s hand to drag him down the stairs. Fred just watches with a grin. 

“Look, you just tickle the pear right here…”

—

“Y/n!” Her mom cries out as y/n launches herself into her mother’s arms. 

“I missed you both!”

“We missed you too, honey!” Her dad kisses her head and hugs her. 

Y/n turns to look back at the train. Percy and the twins are being welcomed by their family with hugs from their father and kisses from their mother. The sight makes her smile. 

“Are you ready for your winter break?”

“Of course!”

—

_George and Fred,_

_It’s strange being home again after spending months at Hogwarts. I missed my cat and my parents but I miss school much more than I thought I would. Does it get any better after the first year?_

_I hope you got the present I sent you, I saw it in the bookshop and thought of you both instantly. I know, I know, **books** , but what prankster wizards wouldn’t get a kick out of muggle magic tricks! You’ll have to tell me how your dad reacted! _

_Thank you so much for the Honeydukes candy, it wasn’t like anything I’ve ever tasted! My parents liked it too, you should send more next time, haha!_

_Miss you and see you soon!  
Y/n_

_Y/n,_

_The book of tricks is wicked, and dad went nuts when he saw it. He tried to steal it but mum stopped him. Missing school? What are you on about? School’s boring. Percy is convinced he’s going to be made a prefect next year and we’re really hoping he’s not. We’d never hear the end of it._

_Glad you liked the candy, we nicked it from Percy’s stash but don’t think he’s noticed yet. Next year we’ll get to go to Hogsmead and we can get it ourselves._

_Mum made us new sweaters again, the old ones are small enough they would probably fit you. Tiny ball of pent up rage, you are._

_See you soon,  
Fred and George_

—

Y/n’s blood runs cold when she sees Marcus Flint walking her way down the corridor, only now realizing it’s empty apart from the two of them. He smirks at her and she halts in the middle of the hall, her bag swinging at her side. 

“Well well, look who it is,” he sneers as Percy walks around the corner behind him. “The little mudblood girl always trailing along after the blood-traitor Weasleys. As if it isn’t enough for their idiot father to obsess over muggles, now his sons are letting a mudblood slut follow them around.”

“ _Oi!_ ” Percy shouts as he hurries down the hall towards them, distracting Flint. 

Y/n chucks her bag at the Slytherin’s head, knocking him off balance before launching herself at him. She sends him toppling to the ground and punches him in the face, breaking his nose and possibly her own hand. Flint shouts in pain and anger as he shoves her off him. She kicks him in the groin and he groans, curling in on himself. Percy pulls her away as she’s about to kick him in the face. 

“Y/n stop!” 

“He-he said-“

“I heard what he said, and you’ll get in just as much trouble for attacking him!”

“What is going on here?”

Y/n and Percy look down the hall from where he came to see Professor McGonagall hurrying towards them. 

“Explain, Mr. Weasley,” she demands, looking between Flint and y/n. 

“Flint called her a… a m-mudblood and a slut, professor.”

“And how is he now beaten on the ground?” 

“Y/n attacked him.”

“ _Miss L/n?_ You expect me to believe a tiny first year girl took down this fourteen year old boy?”

“She was a force of nature, professor.”

“I think my hand is broken,” y/n mumbles, clutching it to her chest. 

“Let me see.”

She holds her hand out to the deputy headmistress, who probes her hand. As McGonagall presses on a knuckle, y/n cries out in pain. The professor sighs. 

“It is mostly a small fracture. Fifteen points from Hufflepuff and detention over the weekend. Take her to Madam Pomfrey, Mr. Weasley.”

“Yes, professor.”

“Twenty five points from Slytherin and a weeks detention, Mr. Flint,” y/n heard from behind her as Percy picks up her bag and steers her toward the hospital wing. 

“That was a very foolish thing to do, y/n,” Percy says softly, his hand under her elbow and her bag on his shoulder. “You saw me coming, you should’ve left it to me.”

“What were you going to do? Scold him? You’re not the type,” she snaps at him and he’s taken aback. 

“What’s gotten into you, you aren’t this aggressive…”

“How do you know what I’m like? We never hang out or even talk.”

“Fred and George are always talking about you.”

She falls quiet at that. They walk in silence until her best friend, Diana, crosses their path. 

“Hey y/n- what happened?”

“I punched Marcus Flint in the face,” the muggle-born smirks slightly. 

“Don’t act so smug, young lady,” Percy hisses. “You didn’t exactly get off scot-free.”

She scowls and tugs her arm free from his grip. They continue walking. 

“McGonagall found us and gave me detention over the weekend. She took fifteen points, too.”

“Bloody hell, y/n!” 

“She took twenty-five from Flint, and he has a week of detention,” she smiles mischievously. 

“What did _he_ do?”

Y/n frowns at that and shoots a glance up at Percy. He lifts an eyebrow at her but says nothing. 

“I’ll tell you later.” 

—

“Y/n! Y/n, we just heard from Percy!” Fred calls as the twins come bursting into the library, making everyone jump and glare. 

“You punched Marcus Flint in the face!” George practically shouts and she turns bright red. “Broke his sodding nose!”

“Shut up, you idiots, this is the library!”

“Never mind that, Perce said you broke your hand!”

“Shut up, or Madam Pince will bite my head off!”

That got them to quiet down but she started packing up her things regardless, checking out the books she was studying to bring back to the Hufflepuff common room for later. The twins follow her every step of the way, whispering questions nonstop until the three of them walk out of the library. 

“Okay, _shut up, oh my god!_ ” She nearly yells at them. “Give me two seconds!”

She leads to way to a secluded corridor and sits on a bench, rubbing her temples. The twins sit on either side of her. 

“It’s almost time for final exams and I need to _study_ ,” she moans. “Yes, I punched Flint. Yes, I broke his nose. Yes, it broke my hand.”

“ **Wicked** ,” they say in unison. 

“You don’t even want to know why?”

“Who cares, he’s a prat.”

“...I didn’t want to ask Percy cause I don’t really know him that well but…”

“What is it?” George asks, raising an eyebrow at her hesitation. 

“...what’s a ‘mudblood’?”

“Did he call you that?” Fred’s voice is angry. 

“...he called me a mudblood slut that follows blood traitors.”

George curses, lurching to his feet but his twin seizes his wrist. 

“He’s not worth it, George,” Fred says darkly. 

“I’ll blow his head off,” the usually laid back twin growls. 

“George, it’s over, don’t bother,” y/n murmurs, grabbing his sleeve to pull him back onto the bench. “You guys still haven’t told me what mudblood means. I know it’s an insult, that’s obvious.”

“It means ‘dirty blood’. It’s a really awful name for someone who’s muggle-born, someone with non magic parents,” Fred explains quietly as his twin bounces his knee restlessly. “Someone like you.”

“...and what about ‘blood traitor’?”

George snorts and shakes his head.

“It’s what pure bloods call our family, because we treat muggles like equals.”

“The Weasleys are pure bloods?”

“Not that we care,” George snaps. “I’d rather we weren’t.”

“Pretty sure the whole family wishes that,” Fred sighs.

Y/n puts her hand on George’s arm and leans her head on his shoulder. The three sit quietly for a while until it’s time for dinner. 

—

“Promise that you’ll write to me over the summer!” Y/n practically demands. 

She drags her suitcase off the train with one hand, Newt’s cage in her other hand. The twins roll their eyes at each other in unison, then grin at her. 

“You’ll have to write first with Newt, Errol isn’t up to much back and forth these days,” Fred shakes his head sadly. 

“He’ll be gone any day now,” George agrees solemnly. 

“Alright, alright, _I_ will write _you_ first.” She pulls George into a hug, then Fred. “I miss you two already!”

“Go home, nutter!” Fred snickers, pushing her towards her parents. 

“Before they take you to the looney bin!” George adds as she walks away. 

“I hate you both!” 

The twins just laugh.


	2. Year Two - the Sorcerer’s What Now?

“Hello, Mrs. Weasley!”

“Y/n, dear, how lovely to see you!”

Mrs. Weasley pulls y/n into a tight hug.

“Where are the twins?”

“They’re around somewhere, just a moment- Fred, George, are you there?”

“Coming mum!”

“Ron you’ve got something on your nose.”

“Mum- geroff!”

“Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?”

Y/n snorts at Fred’s teasing, but hastily disguises it as a sneeze under Mrs. Weasley’s sharp look. 

“Shut up,” Ron grumbles. 

Ron is almost as tall as the twins now, and his nose is red from his mother rubbing it. 

“Where’s Percy?” Y/n asks. 

“He’s coming now,” George says, rolling his eyes. 

And there he is, already in his Hogwarts robes and with a shiny prefect badge pinned to his chest. 

“Can’t stay long, mother,” he says. “I’m up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-“

“Oh are you a _prefect_ , Percy?” Fred gasps dramatically. “You should have said something, we had no idea!”

“Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it,” George drawls. “Once-“

“Or twice-“

“A minute-“

“All summer-“

“Oh shut up,” Percy scowls. 

“Congratulations, Percy,” y/n smiles softly, and he gives her an answering grin. 

“How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?” George complains loudly. 

“Because he’s a _prefect_ ,” Mrs. Weasley says fondly. 

She kisses Percy on the cheek and bids him goodbye before turning to the twins with a stern look. She warns them against acting like the fools they are and y/n shakes her head and smiles to herself. A lost cause if ever she heard one. 

“Hey, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?” Fred says excitedly. 

“Rob Zombie?” Y/n says jokingly and the family looks at her like she grew a second head. She clears her throat awkwardly. “Who did you meet?”

“You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?”

“Who?”

“ _Harry Potter!_ ”

“No way!” Y/n gasps. 

“Oh, mum, can I go on the train and see him, oh please-“

“You’ve already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn’t something to goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?”

“Asked him. Saw his scar. It’s really there - like lightning!”

Y/n glances at the clock and excuses herself to say goodbye to her parents. 

“We only just got you back and off you go again,” her mother lamented.

“I’m still sending you letters every week, don’t worry mom.”

The whistle sounds and her parents kiss her goodbye before she runs back to the train. The twins help her lug her suitcase inside before the door closes. Ron and the twins bid their mother and sister goodbye and then turn to y/n, who grins. 

“Excited, Ron?” She asks. 

“Thrilled,” he mumbles, looking a bit green. 

He moves down the corridor ahead of them and into a random compartment. Once he was out of sight, she flings herself at the twins, pulling them into an aggressive hug. 

“I missed you both so much!”

“Relax, y/n!”

“You’ll suffocate us!”

She pulls back with a laugh. 

“Maybe I’d be doing the castle staff a favor by getting rid of you two,” she smirks. 

“Y/n!” Fred gasps dramatically again, clutching his chest. 

“Is that a threat?” George asks, feigning fear.

“Absolutely! Now behave, or I’ll take you both down!”

Fred snorts and puts a hand on her head as she moves to punch him, keeping her out of reach. She scowls as George cackles. 

“Never change, y/n!”

She sticks her tongue out at both of them and they make their way down the corridor. The twins pop their heads into the compartment Ron entered. Peering around them, y/n can see him sitting across from a skinny, black-haired boy with round, broken glasses. 

“Hey, Ron,” says Fred. “Listen, we’re going down to the middle of the train - Lee Jordan’s got a giant tarantula down there.”

Y/n made a face behind the twins. 

“Right,” Ron mumbles. 

“Harry,” George continues, “did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. This is Ron, our brother. The goblin behind us is y/n l/n.” (“Hey!”) “See you later, then.”

“I know you’ll do great, Harry,” she says with an encouraging smile. 

He gives a shy grin in return. 

—

“Potter, Harry!”

As Harry walks toward the Sorting Hat, whispers broke out across the hall. 

“ _Potter_ , did she say?”

“ _The_ Harry Potter?”

Everyone is straining to look at poor Harry as Professor McGonagall places the Hat on his head. The Great Hall goes silent as they all wait. Thirty seconds pass and then- 

“GRYFFINDOR!”

The Gryffindor table explodes with cheers as Harry walks over from the Hat. 

“We got Potter! We got Potter!”

Y/n faintly can hear the Weasley twins chanting over the noise from their House. She shakes her head with a small smile as the Sorting Ceremony continues. Ron is one of the last students on the list and he of course goes to Gryffindor, much to the approval of his brothers. He glances around the Hall and meets her eyes. She winks at him with a grin and he blushes, then turns away to join Harry and his brothers. 

—

Not two weeks into the beginning of term, Fred and George burst into the Great Hall and rush over to Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table looking excited. Y/n shoves the last bit of ham in her mouth and waves to her friends before hurrying over to meet the twins. 

“-that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you.”

George turns around and nearly steps on her as she swallows the ham and nearly chokes. 

“Watch it, George!”

“What are you sneaking up on us for?”

“I wasn’t sneaking, you’re not paying attention! What are you so excited about?”

“Er-“

“Quidditch tryouts soon, we’re hoping to get someone good on the team this year,” Fred says smoothly as Harry and Ron shovel food in their mouths, looking away. 

“Oh cool, when’s Gryffindor tryouts, I’ll watch and-“

“ **NO**!” The twins say in unison and y/n is taken aback. 

“Why not? There wasn’t a problem last year!”

“Wood doesn’t want anyone who’s not Gryffindor watching us practice, says there’ll be spies,” George says quickly. 

“That’s ridiculous!”

“Yeah, well, he’s the captain so we gotta do what he says,” Fred adds dismissively. 

Y/n narrows her eyes. _Since when do George and Fred listen to anyone?_ She wonders to herself. _They’re hiding something and not doing a very good job at it._

“Alright then,” she says brightly. “Where are you off to now?”

“Lee thinks he found another passage out of the castle but we’re pretty sure we know the one he’s talking about.”

“Let’s go find out!” 

Y/n grabs them both by the hand and drags them out of the Great Hall. 

—

“I heard Harry is the new Gryffindor Seeker!” Y/n trills as she sinks into a seat next to George at the Gryffindor table. 

“Where’d you hear that?” Fred frowns. 

“Diana heard it from a Ravenclaw in our Potions class,” she says dismissively. “The first match is Gryffindor versus Slytherin, is he going to be ready?”

“Hell yeah, we’re gonna blow them out of the water,” George answers enthusiastically. 

“That’s what I like to hear!” She laughs with the quieter twin while Fred just smiles. 

—

“Hey, y/n,” Lee whispers from the next table over in the library. 

She ignores him, focusing on her Charms worksheet. A ball of paper bounces off her arm onto the table and she sighs then turns to look at him. The twins are suspiciously focused on their work while Lee quirks an eyebrow at her. 

“What’s your favorite flower?”

“What?”

“I said, what’s your favorite flower?”

“Why?”

“Just tell me!”

“Shh!” A nearby fifth year hushes them with a glare. 

She turns back to her work. A paper airplane drifts onto the open book in front of her and she sighs. Opening it, it says in surprisingly neat handwriting, _Just answer the question._ She twists around to look at the twins and Lee again, who aren’t looking. Rolling her eyes, she writes, _Daffodils. Why??_ then folds it up and launches it back at them. 

Lee catches it easily and glances at Y/n, then smirks mischievously. When he reads it, he shrugs at her innocently. She narrows her eyes then shakes her head and returns to work. 

—

The morning of the first Quidditch match of the season, y/n sits at the Gryffindor table with the twins. The three of them are chatting excitedly about their hopes for the season. 

“As long as Slytherin loses, I don’t care who wins the Quidditch Cup, honestly,” y/n says around a mouthful of pancakes. 

“Gryffindor’s going to win, I can feel it!” Fred grins widely, and George nods in agreement. 

“Harry doesn’t look too good, does he?” Y/n comments, looking down the table at the black-haired boy. 

“Ah, he’s just nervous,” Fred shrugs. 

“It’s his first time playing, after all,” George says dismissively. 

“Fred, George, get Harry, it’s time.” Oliver Wood was suddenly behind them. 

“Good luck!” Y/n beams, patting George’s arm.

The quieter twin ruffles her hair with a crooked grin before following his brother down the table. Lee Jordan drops into the seat next to y/n, staring at her thoughtfully. She glances around awkwardly as he stares. 

“Is something wrong, Lee?”

“George is talking about you all the time. I don’t really talk to you so I’m here to see what he’s on about.”

“Um, okay, do you have something you want to ask me?”

“Not really.”

They stare at each other for a few moments. 

“You do commentary, right?” Y/n asks suddenly. 

“Yeah, started last year.”

“Can I sit in the commentators booth with you?”

“Yeah, that’d be cool,” he finally cracks a smile. 

—

“And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too –“

“JORDAN!”

“Sorry, Professor.”

Y/n stifles a laugh as Professor McGonagall glares at Lee. 

“And she’s really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood’s, last year only a reserve – back to Johnson and – no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint –“ 

Y/n scowls up at Flint’s distant form in the air, remembering her incident with him last year. She was sure he, McGonagall, Percy and the twins hadn’t forgotten either. She was also sure George still wasn’t letting it go anytime soon. Gryffindor scores and y/n cheers with the crowd as the Slytherins all groan. The game goes on with Lee’s quick commentary. Harry dodges a Bludger as Fred approaches to beat it back towards Flint. 

“Slytherin in possession, Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds towards the – wait a moment – was that the Snitch?”

Y/n spies it in the same moment that the two Seekers dive for it until – 

WHAM! Y/n screams in outrage with the rest of the Gryffindors below – Flint knocked Harry off course on purpose, leaving the first year clutching his broom for dear life. Madam Hooch gives a penalty to Gryffindor and Lee struggles to stay neutral. 

“So after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating–“

“Jordan!” Professor McGonagall growls as y/n kicks his foot. 

“I mean, after that open and revolting foul–“

“ _Jordan, I’m warning you–_ ”

Y/n jabs her elbow into Lee’s side and he relents. 

“Alright, alright! Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker…”

Y/n looks back up to watch Harry anxiously and as he dodges a Bludger, his broom seems to lurch awkwardly. Which doesn’t make sense, Harry is a brilliant flyer. As she watches, the broom nearly bucks him off and she gasps. He drifts higher and higher…

“Professor McGonagall!” Y/n grabs the Transfiguration teacher by the arm and points up at Harry. “Look!”

Soon the whole stadium was watching Harry in horror as he is bucked off and now dangles from the broom by one hand. George and Fred fly up towards him to try to pull him onto one of their brooms but it flies higher still so they drop to circle beneath him. 

An agonizing moment later, Harry climbs back on and speeds down towards the ground. As he’s about to land, he claps a hand over his mouth as if he’s going to vomit. He collapses on all fours on the field – coughs – and –

“I’ve got the Snitch!”

—

_Mom and Dad,_

_Can I **please** stay at Hogwarts for Christmas this year? All my friends are staying and I want to see what wizard’s Christmas is like! It’ll be an educational experience!_

_Love,  
Y/n_

_Y/n,_

_You may stay on the condition that you continue writing letters to us every week, and be sure to tell us all about it! Be safe, sweetheart._

_We love you,  
Mom and Dad_

—

“Oh my _goodness_!” 

Y/n gasps and smacks George’s arm in excitement. The Great Hall is even more spectacularly decorated than last year. Festoons of mistletoe and holly hang all around the walls and over a dozen towering Christmas trees dotted around the room, sparkling with tiny icicles and hundreds of candles. 

“Oof, calm down, y/n!”

“But it’s so beautiful!”

“Not as… nevermind,” George mumbles and blushes.

“Hm?” She raises an eyebrow curiously, but is still looking at all the decorations. 

“It’s nothing.”

“If you say so,” she shrugs. 

Fred gives a cough that sounds suspiciously like a laugh and his twin glares at him, cheeks still pink. 

—

Y/n drags Diana to sit at the Gryffindor table with Lee and the twins for Christmas dinner. She ruffles Ron and Harry’s hair as they pass. When the girls sit across from the mischievous trio, Diana giggles and blushes as she glances first at Lee then at the table. Y/n nudges her knowingly. 

“Shut up, y/n!” She hisses quietly. 

“I didn’t say anything!”

The muggleborn pulls a wizard cracker with George as Harry pulls another with Fred and two blasts like cannons explode, surrounding them in clouds of blue and pink smoke. Harry and Fred’s cracker contains a rear admiral’s hat and several live white mice, which y/n coos at adoringly while Diana cringes. 

Y/n and George’s cracker contains a flower crown of daisies and dandelions, (which she immediately puts on with a wide grin) and a deck of exploding snap cards. George launches into teaching her how to play the game and they plan to play the next day. After dinner, they all run out into the grounds for a snowball fight. 

Y/n gathers a ball of packed snow in her gloved hands and chucks it at Diana’s fleeing form. She hits her target, sending her best friend toppling into the fluffy snowbank. Someone pulls open the back of her scarf and she screams as snow is shoved down her neck. 

“WEASLEY!” 

George is cackling madly when she turns to glare at him and she shoves him, sending him tumbling back onto the ground. She jumps on top of him and piles snow onto his face. He grabs her by the waist and rolls them over to pin her down and tickle her, making her shriek with laughter. 

“GEORGE – HAHAHA – STOP I CAN’T – HAHAHAHAHA – I CAN’T BREATHE!”

“Say I’m the best Beater in the world!”

“YOU’RE THE BEST –“ she screams wordlessly as he continues tickling her “– THE BEST BEATER IN THE WORLD!”

“Better than Fred?”

“ _YES_!”

“Why _thank_ you!” 

He rolls off her, splayed out in the snow as they both breathe hard. 

“I hate you – _haha_ – so much,” y/n pants, still giggling.

“No you don’t,” George grins up at the sky.

—

“ _Snape_ is refereeing?” 

“That’s what Wood said,” Fred grumbles over his eggs. 

“That’s ridiculous, he’s not going to be fair and if Hufflepuff wins because he can’t be impartial then that’s not a fair game!”

“If Hufflepuff wins, we won’t beat Slytherin,” George huffs.

“That’s not a sure thing,” Y/n sighs. “Anyway, I stick by what I said before, I don’t care who wins the Quidditch cup as long as it’s not Slytherin. Same goes for the House cup too, now that I think about it.”

George just poked at his potatoes with a dark look in his eye.

—

Y/n sits in the commentators booth again with Lee and Professor McGonagall. She didn’t admit it to anyone, but she does secretly hope for Hufflepuff to win, just not with Snape’s biased refereeing. She loves her Gryffindor friends dearly but she’s still a loyal Hufflepuff. 

She groans as George wacks a Bludger at Snape, who awards a penalty to Hufflepuff. She spots Harry, circling the game like a hawk in search of the snitch. It would make sense if the Gryffindor team was hoping for him to catch it early on before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too heavily –

Y/n gasps as Harry leaps into a sharp dive, speeding to the ground like a shot from a gun. He is heading straight for Snape, who turns right as Harry speeds past him. He pulls out of his dive and thrusts his hand into the air – he has the Snitch!

It’s the quickest game she’s heard of! Hufflepuff lost, which is disappointing but it’s still exciting for her Gryffindor friends! She’s sure they’ll be much celebrating in the Gryffindor common room tonight. 

—

“Careful there, Miss L/n, don’t get up too quickly,” Professor Sprout says delicately as she helps y/n sit up. 

“I’m sorry, I thought my earmuffs were on right,” she says groggily. 

“It’s alright dear, there’s always one student who makes that mistake.”

“But Hufflepuffs are supposed to be good at Herbology,” y/n grumbles under her breath.

“Don’t waste time and energy trying to fit into a pre-created stereotype,” the Herbology teacher says firmly. “Be yourself and do your best in the things you enjoy.”

“Thanks, Professor,” the muggle-born sighs. 

Professor Sprout helps y/n to her feet and they discuss how she can make up for the missed class period. It’s as she’s walking into the Great Hall for dinner that she hears snickering behind her, but when she turns no one is laughing. Her brow furrows as she sits to eat. 

“Hey L/n,” calls a snotty third year Hufflepuff from a few feet away. “Is it true you passed out from a mandrake? Are you sure you’re a Hufflepuff, you can’t even remember to put your earmuffs on right?”

“It was an honest mistake,” y/n says defensively. 

“So is you being here!”

She flinches and looks down at her food, eyes stinging. It becomes hard to eat around the lump in her throat and soon she gives up and picks up her bag to leave. Too busy concentrating on not crying, she walks right into the twins as they enter the Great Hall. 

“Watch out, y/n – whoa, are you crying?” 

“No, I’m fine,” she sniffs, moving to walk away but George catches her wrist. 

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it,” she insists, pulling away. 

As y/n hurries down the stairs toward the dungeons, she ignores the twins calling after her. She reaches the barrels that lead into the Hufflepuff common room when she hears someone call her name down the hall. Looking up, it’s George, running towards her. Y/n quickly taps the barrels in the hidden sequence and is about to duck through the passage when George’s arm wraps around her waist, pulling her back. 

“Hey, let go–“

“Not until you tell me what’s wrong!”

“It’s nothing, alright? Just let me be!”

“Y/n, I can tell you’re not alright, just talk to me.”

She stares up at him with an irritated look for a moment but he meets her gaze stubbornly. With a sigh, she gives in to her tears and presses her face into his chest as she cries. 

“I don’t belong here,” she sobs. “There’s always something about magic I don’t know or I don’t understand and I’m bad at Herbology but everyone says good Hufflepuffs excel at it and people are saying I shouldn’t be here and they’re right!”

She takes a gasping breath, trying not to hyperventilate as he hugs her and rubs her back. 

“You belong here, y/n, you’re a brilliant witch,” George says fiercely. “It’s school, you’re here to _learn_ and who cares if you’re bad at Herbology, I’m terrible with Divination but who needs that?”

She chuckles softly, her face still buried in his robes. 

—

“I’m so angry with those three I swear I could break something,” y/n growls. 

“We know the feeling,” Fred grumbles, shooting a dark look over at Harry and Hermione and Neville, who all look miserable. 

“Gryffindor really had a good chance of winning the House Cup, if they hadn’t been gallivanting around in the dead of night–“

“Give it a rest, y/n,” Diana moans. “Everyone is just as pissed as you.”

“The Slytherins are laughing it up,” George says darkly. 

“I can’t deal with their smug sense of superiority,” y/n sighs, head in her hands. “I have friends in Slytherin but even they’re pleased.”

“It’s out of our hands, better luck next year,” Diana says flatly. 

—

The Great Hall seems to be vibrating with the volume of cheers coming from the tables. Dumbledore raised his hand and the room slowly fell silent. 

“There are all kinds of courage,” he says with a smile. “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies. But just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Neville Longbottom.”

The Gryffindor table explodes into screams and cries of joy and excitement, and y/n’s hands hurt from clapping and pounding the table. Seeing the look on Marcus Flint’s face was worth all the money in her savings jar back home, ten times over. 

She doesn’t know what could top this but she’s looking forward to finding out.


	3. Year Three - Open Chamber part 1

_Gred and Forge,_

_Your dad has a flying car?? That’s so cool! Or, what’s the word you would use? Wicked? Brilliant? I can’t believe you had the guts to steal your dad’s car and fly to Surry and essentially **kidnap** Harry Potter! _

_Whose idea was this? Ron, or did one of you two come up with it? Either way, the three of you are insane, what if you’d been seen?_

_My parents and I will be heading to Diagon Alley next Wednesday, maybe we can meet?_

_Hope to see you soon!  
Y/n_

—

“Floo Powder?” Y/n tilts her head in confusion. 

“Yeah he really mangled it,” Fred snickers. 

“Don’t know where he came out,” George rolls his eyes. 

The three teens hear Mr. Weasley’s ‘ _ah_ ’ of relief and follow him as he sprints up the crowded street towards the unmistakable shape of Hagrid. Harry and Hermione stand beside the Groundskeeper as they reach them. 

“Harry,” Mr. Weasley pants. “We’d hoped you’d only gone one grate too far… Molly’s frantic – she’s coming now –“

“Where did you come out?” Ron asks. 

“Knockturn Alley,” Hagrid answers darkly. 

“ _Excellent!_ ” The twins say in unison. 

“We’ve never been allowed in,” Ron explains jealously. 

“I should ruddy well think not,” Hagrid growls as y/n protests, “For good reason!”

Mrs. Weasley comes running up to the group – dragging Ginny – and immediately starts fussing over Harry. Y/n steps back to stand next to the twins, giving them a small smile and a shake of her head. Her parents catch up at the same moment as Hermione’s, and Mr. Weasley nearly loses his mind with excitement. Hagrid departs and the group walks towards Gringotts. 

“Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?” Harry asks Ron and Hermione from ahead of y/n and the twins. “Malfoy and his father!”

“Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?” Mr. Weasley asks sharply, surprising y/n. 

“No, he was selling –“

“So he’s worried,” Mr. Weasley says with grim satisfaction. “Oh, I’d love to get Lucius Malfoy for something…”

Mrs. Weasley warns him to be careful as they all enter the bank. The Weasleys take Harry to the vaults while y/n and Hermione’s parents exchange their muggle money. They all regroup briefly outside before agreeing to meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour. Mr. Weasley takes both Hermione and y/n’s parents back to the Leaky Cauldron for drinks while their daughters go off with their friends. 

Y/n follows the twins through the crowd to greet Lee Jordan. She looks around Diagon Alley while the boys catch up. The shops always leave her in awe and wonder at the pure magic of the street. 

“Hey, y/n,” Lee says suddenly. “How’s Diana?”

“She’s good, she already bought all her school supplies,” she answers, biting back a smile. 

“You looking forward to visiting Hogsmead this year?”

“Yes!” She says loudly and enthusiastically, making several passersby stare. “I can’t wait to visit Honeyduke’s and Zonko’s!”

“Ahh, a woman after my own heart!” Fred says teasingly, wrapping an arm around y/n’s shoulders and leaning on her, nearly knocking her over. 

“Fred, get off!”

“Alright, alright, enough,” George says grumpily, pulling his brother off her. 

The four teens walk down the street and y/n buys them all ice cream with some of the money her parents gave her. They go to Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, where the boys stock up on Dr. Filibuster’s Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks and y/n invests in a few dung bombs and a small bottle of Everlasting Hiccup potion to use on Diana. 

“We should go back to Flourish and Blotts to get our books,” y/n sighs after an hour of browsing the shop. 

Lee separates to find his family while y/n and the twins return to the bookshop reluctantly. She spots the banner across the upper windows declaring that Gilderoy Lockhart will be signing books. 

“Isn’t that the author of most of our school books this year?” Y/n asks curiously, pointing at the banner. 

“Ugh, yes,” Fred rolls his eyes. 

“Mum fancies him,” George snickers. 

“Why?”

“You’ll see,” Fred says, opening the door for her. 

“Probably,” George adds. 

The three make their way through the crowd to find the rest of the Weasley’s, the Grangers and y/n’s parents. Harry, Ron, and Hermione appear shortly after them and the line moves slowly forward. Gilderoy Lockhart came into view surrounded by pictures of himself, all dazzling the crowd with bright white smiles and winks. 

Y/n feels a light blush dust her cheeks. He is quite handsome, wavy blonde hair and light blue eyes and a winning smile. She clears the throat awkwardly. 

“I can see why people like him,” she mumbles, and George scowls from behind her. 

A squat, irritable-looking man dances around taking photos with a black camera that coughs purple smoke with each blinding flash. He barks at Ron to move, snarling that he’s taking pictures for the Daily Prophet. 

“Big deal,” Ron grumbles, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stomped on it. 

Mr. Lockhart hears him and looks up, his eyes touching on Ron before sliding to the side and fixing on Harry. _Oh no,_ y/n thinks with an internal groan. _Leave poor Harry alone…_

Lockhart grabs Harry’s arm and pulls him into the spotlight, the twelve-year-old’s face burning as he goes. The ‘author’ announces his role as new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts and presents Harry with his entire collective works before letting him shuffle aside. 

Y/n and the twins surge forward to snatch up their own copies of the books before struggling through the crowd with Mr. Weasley back to the front of the shop. There they see Harry and Hermione holding Ron back from jumping a smirking pale blonde boy that y/n vaguely recognizes as Draco Malfoy. 

“Ron!” Mr. Weasley says. “What are you doing? It’s too crowded in here, let’s go outside.”

“Well, well, well – Arthur Weasley.”

A tall man with long pale blonde hair comes to stand behind Draco, sneering with his hand on his son’s shoulder. 

“Lucius,” Mr. Weasley replies with a cold nod.

“Busy time at the Ministry, I hear,” says Mr. Malfoy. “All those raids… I hope they’re paying you overtime?”

He reaches into Ginny’s cauldron to pull out a battered textbook. 

“Obviously not,” he continues. “Dear me, what’s the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don’t even pay you well for it?”

Y/n puffs up in anger, about to yell at Mr. Malfoy when Fred steps on her foot pointedly and she hisses quietly. 

“We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy,” Mr. Weasley says darkly. 

“Clearly,” Mr. Malfoy sneers, his pale eyes straying to y/n’s parents, and the Grangers, all watching apprehensively. “The company you keep, Weasley… and I thought your family could sink no lower –“

Ginny’s cauldron thuds against the floor as Mr. Weasley throws himself at Mr. Malfoy, sending them both backwards into a bookshelf. Heavy spellbooks fall on their heads as they scuffle; y/n yells “Show ‘em who’s boss, Mr. Weasley!” as one of the twins shouts “Get him, Dad!”; Mrs. Weasley shrieks, “No, Arthur, no!” The crowd retreats in an uproar until – 

“Break it up there, gents, break it up – “

Hagrid comes wading toward them through the ocean of books. He easily pulls Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley’s lip is cut and Mr. Malfoy is sporting what will soon be a black eye. He thrusts the battered textbook back at Ginny, eyes full of fury. 

“Here, girl – take your book – it's the best your father can give you –“ He pulls himself out of Hagrid’s grip and beckons to Draco, then sweeps out of the shop. 

—

“Where are Harry and Ron?” Y/n asks curiously.

“They’re around somewhere,” Fred says dismissively.

“Come on, before the train leaves!” George says urgently, grabbing y/n’s hand and dragging her onto the train behind his brother. 

They meet up with Lee and Diana in a compartment and get settled. Diana gives y/n a funny look, leaning in to whisper in her ear. 

“Are you wearing makeup?”

“My mom gave it to me for my birthday,” she whispers back with a blush. “Is it obvious?”

“No, it’s subtle, it looks good on you,” Diana says reassuringly. “It isn’t a spell?”

“There are spells for that?”

“Of course! How did you get it like that without magic?”

“I’ll show you when we get back to our dorm room.”

The five of them look up when the compartment door slides open. It’s Hermione with a concerned expression. 

“Have any of you seen Harry and Ron?” She asks. “I can’t find them anywhere on the train.”

“No, I haven’t seen them since Diagon Alley actually,” y/n shrugs. 

“They were supposed to be right behind Ginny, mum, and dad,” Fred frowns. 

“I haven’t seen Ginny either, come to think of it,” George muses. 

But Ginny appears at Hermione’s side, looking distressed. 

“Have they seen them?” She asks worriedly. 

“No,” Hermione sighs. 

“Why don’t you two stay with us?” Y/n offers. “I’m sure you’ll be more comfortable here.”

“You don’t mind?” Ginny looks at Lee and Diana, who both shrug. 

“Pop a squat, kiddos,” y/n says, scooting to make room for Ginny and Hermione.

—

“You’ll be with Hagrid, don’t worry, Ginny,” y/n squeezes the girl’s shoulder reassuringly. 

“Sure,” Ginny agrees absently, staring ahead unseeingly. 

“Hey, you’re gonna be fine, I promise!”

Y/n pulls the youngest Weasley child into a tight hug before steering her towards Hagrid and the other first years. 

“Come on, y/n, the sooner we get there, the sooner we can eat,” George says urgently, taking her hand again and leading towards the carriages. 

—

Y/n was walking up the stairs from the dungeons toward the Great Hall for breakfast when an explosion of noise burst from the room ahead. 

**_”– STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY’D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON’T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE –“_ **

She peeks into the Great Hall warily, searching for Ron amidst all the silent stares. She spots a tuft of red hair poking from under the table next to Harry and Hermione, and assumes that’s him. 

**_”– LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN’T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED –“_ **

Harry looks to be pretending he can’t hear the voice that’s shaking dust from the ceiling. 

**_”– ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED – YOUR FATHER’S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT’S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE’LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME!!”_ **

Y/n rubs her ears as she approaches the Hufflepuff table to retrieve her course schedule from Professor Sprout. She has her first ever Divination class with Ravenclaw today. 

—

“Open your inner eye, to read your future!” Professor Trelawney’s airy voice swims through the incense in the Divination classroom. 

Y/n and Diana are sitting in a pair of squashy chairs at a shared table, looking over their tea leaves and divination textbooks. 

“There’s a bit of yellow that looks like a sun,” Y/n says evenly, surprisingly alert in the sleepy atmosphere Trelawney created. “That suggests happiness. And that’s what looks like a… bare tree? So you’ll find happiness…” She checks the book, then turns the cup a quarter clockwise. “...but you’ll need a strong will and patience, or it’ll end badly.”

“Brilliant,” Diana says sarcastically. 

“Let me see, my dear,” Professor Trelawney says, startling Diana with her sudden closeness. 

Y/n relinquishes the cup and the fluttery teacher examines it, turning it this way and that. After a moment, she nods and sets it back on the table. 

“Excellent prediction, my dear, you have a knack for reading the leaves,” Professor Trelawney praises her with a gentle smile. 

“Thank you, Professor.”

—

“A little birdie told us you’re on Trelawney’s good side,” Fred says as he sinks onto the bench next to y/n. 

“How’d you manage that, L/n?” George wonders with a raised eyebrow, sitting on her other side. 

“She thinks I have the Sight,” y/n sniffs. “Apparently I’m her best student in years.”

“Why do you sound proud of that?”

“Because I’ve always had strange dreams that eventually come true, would it be so hard to believe I have a gift for seeing the future?”

“I think it’s rubbish,” Fred scoffs.

“I think you’ll be cheated out of a bet that will leave you without any savings,” y/n says grumpily, turning a page in her Care of Magical Creatures textbook. 

“Oh no, whatever shall I do?” Fred says, casting an arm over his face dramatically. 

“You really believe that nonsense?” George asks skeptically. 

“I do,” she frowns, then starts packing up her things. “I’m going to go back to my common room where I won’t be bothered by annoying red-headed bafoons.”

—

**_Y/n wanders through the empty corridors in her pajamas, walking into the library. She sees herself, standing next to Hermione at a table, bent over a book. Y/n follows the two muggle-borns back out of the library, watching herself pull a compact mirror out of her pocket. They hold hands as they peer around corners with the mirror until they suddenly freeze like statues, falling to the floor stiffly. The hand mirror shatters with the sound of a great hiss –_ **

Y/n jerks up in her bed, breathing hard and sweating. Diana sits up groggily in the bed next to her. 

“What’s wrong, y/n?”

“Bad dream,” she says dismissively, climbing out of bed. 

She walks to the center of the room and pours herself a glass of water, drinking deeply. Y/n leans against the table and sighs, shaking herself. It was just a dream. 

—

“That little brat Malfoy is going to get it one of these days,” y/n fumes as she walks to Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Diana. 

“I still think Hermione was right,” says Diana. “He definitely bought his way into being Seeker. The little slimeball surely doesn’t have even half the Seeking talent Harry has even in his little finger.”

Y/n snickers as they enter the classroom, taking their seats as Lockhart enters. Both girls sigh quietly as he passes. Yes, they know he’s full of rubbish but his charm and charisma are nearly irresistible. 

“Good afternoon, class!” He greets them all with a wide and blinding smile. 

“Good afternoon, Professor,” the class replies with varying levels of enthusiasm. 

—

“Y/n! Diana!”

Lee and the twins caught the two girls as they were crossing the courtyard, Hogsmead permission slips in hand. The two friends look at each other with wide grins before turning to greet the boys. 

“Looking forward to your first Hogsmead trip?” Lee asks as they walk up. 

“Diana keeps telling me about butterbeer, apparently we can get it at the Three Broomsticks?” 

“Well, yeah but there’s loads more to do than just going to the Three Broomsticks,” Fred says with a roll of his eyes. 

“Like Zonko’s or Honeydukes or the Shrieking Shack,” George says the last one in a spooky voice. 

“What’s the Shrieking Shack?” Y/n asks curiously. 

“It’s an abandoned shack in the edge of the woods by Hogsmead that’s said to be haunted,” Diana says in a hushed voice. 

“Permission slips, please,” says little Professor Flitwick, ticking off names on a clipboard. 

The girls hand over the little slips and follow the boys into a carriage down to Hogsmead. They chat about the different shops in the village and what they plan to do. The boys exit the carriage first, George helping y/n down and Lee helping Diana while Fred peers into the village crowd. 

“Hey, I see some people I’ve been meaning to talk to,” Fred says casually. “I’ll see you lot around.”

Without another word, he’s gone. The girls give each other a confused look. 

“Hey Diana, you want to go to Honeydukes with me, I wanted to pick out some stuff,” Lee says in a rush.

“Oh, well y/n and I-“

“It’s okay, me and George can catch up with you two at the Three Broomsticks later,” y/n smirks, giving her friend a little push. 

“Y/n!” Diana hisses. 

“Go on!” She urges quietly. 

“Alright!” 

Diana and Lee walk off into the village together, both very stiff. Y/n snickers into her hand. 

“I can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting for that,” she says cheerily. 

“I know what you mean,” George chuckles. “Come on, I’ll take you to Zonko’s.”

As easy as breathing, y/n takes his hand and they enter the village. 

—

Y/n barely manages to check out a copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ before they’re all taken, taking it back to the Hufflepuff common room to read with Diana. 

_”It is well known that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded over a thousand years ago – the precise date is uncertain – by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age,”_ Diana reads. “ _The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin._

_“For several years, the founders worked in harmony, seeking out children who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. Disagreements arose between them. A rift grew between Slytherin and the other founders. Slytherin wished to be more selective about students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After – “_

“Jerk probably would’ve supported You-Know-Who,” Y/n grumbles and Diana gives her an annoyed look, disliking being interrupted. “Sorry, keep going.”

“ _After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school._

_“Legends say Slytherin built a hidden chamber in the castle which the other founders knew nothing about. According to legend, Slytherin sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all those who were unworthy to study magic._ ”

Y/n stares down at the page with a furrow in her brow. 

“It’s just a silly legend, y/n,” Diana says dismissively as she closes the large tome with a snap, making y/n jump. 

“Yeah,” y/n agrees absently. “Just a legend…”

—

“People are seriously saying _Harry_ is the heir of Slytherin? _Harry Potter_?”

“People here believe anything,” Diana says disgustedly. 

Y/n sighs as she flips through _Wanderings with Werewolves_. They are among the last few students in the common room tonight and stifling yawns. 

“Lockhart is good-looking enough but his books are pure rubbish, I swear,” y/n grumbles and Diana nods tiredly. 

“Hermione’s a bright girl, I don’t know how she doesn’t see through him.”

“I can’t focus for another minute, can we just go to bed?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

The girls pack up their work and retire to their dormitory. Y/n changes into her old t-shirt and pajama pants and falls asleep almost as soon as her head touches the pillow. 

_**Y/n wanders through Diagon Alley, following a much older George Weasley into a blurred looking shop. He calls for someone, a muffled name she can’t make out. A woman hurries down a flight of stairs and launches herself into his arms. He spins her around and y/n feels a jerk in her stomach as she recognizes the woman.**_

****

**_It’s an older version of herself._**

****

**_He kisses her passionately and they laugh. The y/n of the present backs away as the scene shifts and her older self is clinging to George, crying hysterically._**

****

**_“Death Eaters came to the house! The Cruciatus curse! I couldn’t save them!”_**

****

**_“You’re safe now, y/n, you’re alright,” George assures her._**

****

**_Adult y/n looks over his shoulder to stare present y/n in the eye –_**

Y/n jerks awake, her blanket tangled around her legs. _What was that about?!_ She asks herself as she rubs her eyes. Glancing around the room, her dorm mates are still sleeping peacefully. She flops back onto the pillows to stare at the top of her four poster bed. 

**Tap tap tap.**

Y/n jumps in surprise then looks to the source of the sound, the dorm window. She untangles herself from the blanket and tip toes to the window, where Newt is holding a small note in his beak. Y/n scratches his head and murmurs praise to him as she takes the note. He nips her finger affectionately before flying off to the owlery. 

_Y/n–_

_I have a feeling you’re awake, and if not just ignore this and go back to bed. If you can’t sleep, come out and meet me by the kitchens._

_–George_

She frowns at the paper, then checks her watch. It’s four thirty in the morning, and isn’t it Gryffindor against Slytherin in Quidditch today? She’s never snuck out before but what are the odds she would have that weird dream about George and he just happens to ask her to meet him in the same night? The kitchens aren’t that far from the Hufflepuff dorms…

She tucks the note under her pillow, then pulls on a cloak and her quietest pair of shoes to sneak down the stairs into the common room. Peaking around the room, it’s empty and she crawls out the entrance. It’s nearly pitch dark in the dungeons but by now she knows the way to the kitchens by heart. Following the walls, she makes her way down the corridor, straining her ears for a sign of anyone approaching. 

When she reaches the portrait of the bowl of fruit, she huffs in annoyance at no one there. She reasons that it would take time to reach the kitchens from the owlery and sits in the dark corner to wait. After roughly ten minutes of picking at the loose threads on her shirt, she freezes at the sound of nearly silent footsteps approaching. 

“George?”

“Morning,” comes the familiar but quiet drawl. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“Only because it’s you,” she finds herself saying, then blushes when he chuckles. 

“I knew you’d be able to find the kitchens by yourself without getting caught, but how do you feel about going somewhere more interesting?”

“What if we get caught?”

“At this time of night? No one else is awake.”

“We are,” y/n points out. 

“I’ve got a little something to _guarantee_ we won’t get caught,” he smirks, then reaches into his pocket to pull something out she can’t see. “Give us some light, will you?”

Y/n pulls out her wand and murmurs, “ _Lumos_.” It’s an old folded up piece of parchment. She raises an eyebrow at him, confused, and he gives her a wide grin. 

“Tap the paper and say ‘I solemnly swear that I am up to no good’,” he instructs, holding it out to her. 

“ _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_ ,” she says, tapping the paper with her wand. 

Her eyebrows shoot up as ink blooms from nowhere across the page, making a map as George unfolds the paper. 

“ _Misters Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs,_ ” she reads, “ _are proud to present the Marauder's Map!_ Where’d you get this?”

“Me and Fred nicked it from Filch’s office our first year,” he waggles his eyebrows mischievously. “Look, here we are outside the kitchens and the only other one out this early is Filch himself, but he’s up on the fourth floor. Come on, let’s go out to the quidditch field.”

“Lead the way, Weasley,” y/n grins. 

He takes her hand, then pauses to look down at her in the wandlight. With a smirk, he raises their hands to briefly kiss the back of hers and her face turns scarlet, the dream returning to the front of her mind. He laughs quietly. 

“Tap the map again and say ‘mischief managed’.”

“ _Mischief managed._ ”

“Now put that light out and let’s go.”

“ _Nox._ ”

He folds the map up and tucks it back in his pocket before leading the way carefully up the stairs and out of the castle. They look out across the grounds, but they’re empty. There’s a soft light from Hagrid’s hut but they make little noise as they hurry past the lake to the quidditch field. Y/n giggles nervously as they climb to the highest point in the stands as fast as they can, collapsing onto a bench together under the night sky. 

“It’s cold up here,” y/n complains, still out of breath. 

“You’re a sissy,” George teases. 

But he wraps an arm around her and rubs her shoulder as she leans against him and sighs. 

“So why are you awake so early?”

“Eh, I couldn’t sleep,” he says dismissively. “What about you?”

“I had a weird dream that woke me up,” she shrugs. 

They fall silent for a moment, but it’s an easy silence. 

“What’s it like in America?”

“People drive on the right side of the road,” she snickers. “We call biscuits cookies, chips are called fries. Crisps are called chips. I miss a good American burger. We don’t drink pumpkin juice,” she wrinkles her nose.

“I think that’s more of a wizard thing,” he chuckles. 

“Sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s a wizard thing and what’s a British thing,” she sighs. “I miss pencils.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s one of the things Muggles use to write with,” she explains. “It’s a piece of wood with graphite in the middle and you sharpen it to a point to write with it.”

“How do you get the graphite in the wood?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugs. “There are factories to make things like that.”

“How does it work?”

“I’ll send you one sometime,” she promises. 

“Dad’ll probably steal it from me,” he shakes his head with a smile. 

“Are you excited for the first match of the season today?” She asks and he laughs. 

“Of course. We’re gonna crush Slytherin this year,” he declares confidently and she snickers. 

“And Hufflepuff will crush Gryffindor,” she says matter-of-factly. 

He gasps dramatically and pinches her arm, making her squeal. She pinches his side in retaliation and he hisses.

“Watch it, woman!”

“You started it!”

“Who’s up there?”

They both freeze as Hagrid’s unmistakable voice calls up at them. Y/n glares at George. 

“You promised we wouldn’t get caught!” She breathes quietly. 

“You got loud!”

“You pinched me!”

“Oi! I can hear you lot up there!”

“Come on, we gotta go!”

George pulls her through the stands, both of them moving as quietly as they possibly can as they hear Hagrid stomping up the stairs. They make it outside, peeking up at the stands to see him walking in the opposite direction. Y/n clings to George’s arm as they sprint across the grounds as quietly as they can. They don’t look back until they reach the castle, and they can’t tell if he saw them or not. 

“ _I-solemnly-swear-that-I-am-up-to-no-good!_ ” George whispers quickly to check the map. “All clear from here to the Hufflepuff common room, come on! _Mischief managed!_ ”

They tiptoe through the castle as quickly as they can until they reach the familiar pile of barrels. Y/n checks her watch. It’s almost six thirty, the sun will be rising any time. 

“Hurry back to Gryffindor tower, you have to be on time for quidditch today,” she whispers.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” he gives her a crooked smile. 

She shakes her head and pulls out her wand as she turns away to tap the barrels in the familiar pattern. He takes her chin in his hand gently and pulls her to face him and he kisses her forehead.

“See you in the stands,” he smirks, then disappears down the corridor.


	4. Year Three - Open Chamber part 2

_”HARRY!”_ Y/n screams as the bludger smashes into his arm. 

It isn’t done though and it whips around to try for his face. Y/n can hardly keep track of the players through the rain. Harry darts down toward a Slytherin player she can’t make out and flings his undamaged arm out to snatch something from the air – the Snitch? Y/n cries out in worry as he starts falling too fast to the ground –

_CRUNCH_

The crowd groans and y/n pushes her way through the stands to get down to the locker rooms. By the time she gets there, Harry is being half-carried out of the stadium. 

“What happened to his arm?” She wonders anxiously, looking at the deflated limb. 

Angelina Johnson appears next to y/n, looking tired and soaked. 

“Lockhart tried to mend Harry’s arm himself, the fool,” the Chaser shakes her head. “Wound up removing the bones, it’s not pretty.”

The stadium clears out and y/n and Diana follow the Gryffindor team to the hospital wing to see their Seeker. The whole team is soaked and filthy, the twins and Hufflepuff girls swing by the kitchens to pick up sweet treats for Harry before they all make their way up. Ron and Hermione are already by Harry’s bed when they arrive. 

“Unbelievable flying, Harry,” George gushes. “I saw Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn’t seem too happy.”

Harry snickers. The whole troop starts passing around food, getting comfortable before Madam Pomfrey comes storming over and shouting, “This boy needs rest, he’s got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!”

—

When word of Colin Creevey’s petrification reaches y/n, she turns green and a bit clammy. Diana buys her one of the dozens of “protection devices” – a tiny bottle of pickled beetroot shavings on a leather cord around her neck – but she doesn’t feel protected. 

She sees the notice for a Dueling Club but decides not to go. Whatever is hunting mudbloods, she doubts it’ll be stopped by mere dueling spells. 

Then comes word of Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick being petrified. How could a _ghost_ be petrified? Y/n is jumping at every little noise, refusing to go anywhere alone until finally the winter holiday rolls around and she joins the rush to the Hogwarts Express. 

Of the Weasley children at Hogwarts, only Ron stays behind for Christmas. Y/n shares a compartment with Diana, Lee, and the Twins. Diana speaks animatedly with Lee and Fred while George sits next to y/n, taking her hand in his as stealthily as possible. She stares out the window with a small _v_ of tension scrunched between her eyebrows. 

“Hey, L/n,” he murmurs, squeezing her hand. She turns her face towards him slightly to show she’s listening. “I can’t imagine how scared you must be right now with the whole ‘Slytherin’s Heir’ nonsense going on, but we’re here for you if you need us.”

“Who’s part of this ‘we’ you’re talking about?” She mumbles, leaning her head against the window frame. 

“Me, Fred, and Lee,” he says simply. 

“I already knew I could always count on _you_.” 

She squeezes his hand, and he smiles. Not long after their little conversation, y/n gently pulls her hand out of his to pick at her nails anxiously. George frowns at the nervous tick but doesn’t say anything else to her the rest of the train ride. 

—

_George –_

_I promised I’d send you a pencil, and I keep my word. I bought a whole pack of pencils and sharpeners to share with your family. You put the end without the pink eraser on top into the hole of the sharpener and twist the pencil. It’ll start to shave off pieces of the wood and graphite until it makes a point and you can write with it! Your dad will probably go nuts over them._

_I packed some fudge I made myself from scratch too, I hope it doesn’t melt on it’s way to you. The fudge is just for you, you don’t have to share it with anyone (even Fred). Speaking of Fred, I also included a pack of whoopie cushions for you two to terrorize your family with. I’d say not to tell your mom who gave them to you, but who else but me is going to give you muggle gifts?_

_The journal you sent for writing my dreams is wonderful, I love that it says little things like “sweet dreams!” Or “don’t forget to brush your teeth before sleep!” I’ve already written some old dreams that have stuck with me since coming to Hogwarts and I’m looking forward to the day this journal is full! It’s so pretty too, the leather cover smells amazing, and the fact that it only opens with a password… genius._

_My parents were thinking about not letting me return to Hogwarts this semester, but Professor Sprout wrote a letter to convince them to let me come back. I’m glad to go back to my classes and friends but the whole “Chamber of Secrets” situation still has me on edge. I hope they catch the culprit quickly._

_Can’t wait to see you again!  
– y/n_

_PS: How’s Ginny?_

_Y/n –_

_Glad you like the journal, it was in a book shop when mum took us shopping. Fred gave me grief getting it so you better use it well. Trelawney will have you recording your dreams soon enough anyway and I know you like Divination, so I thought it’ll come in useful._

_Dad went mad over the pencils and sharpeners I gave him. He got so carried away, he kept sharpening them until they were tiny and impossible to write with anymore. Mum had to stop him from trying to take more than his share, and everyone sends thanks._

_You said you made the fudge yourself? Without magic? You’re full of it! It tastes too good to not be made with magic. To be fair, we’re not allowed to use magic outside school, so I guess I believe you. I had to fight off Fred to keep it to myself. Had to show him your letter to convince him you said it was mine._

_You should probably stop sending Muggle gifts honestly, dad keeps trying to steal them all. The whoopie cushions are fantastic, they’re driving mum crazy. She might try to confiscate them soon._

_I’m not really worried about the “Heir of Slytherin” rubbish, probably just some twat messing around. If it makes you feel any better, I won’t let anything get to you while I’m around. We could probably sneak you into Gryffindor tower sometime, just to keep an eye on you. Mostly joking, but the offer stands._

_See you at school,  
– George_

_PS: Ginny’s still shaken about what’s going on at school but she’ll be fine._

—

_Of course he’s not worried,_ y/n thinks, almost bitterly. _He’s a pureblood. He’s safe._

The journal sits on her desk. She had another strange dream about herself. She was in a bed in the hospital wing, obviously petrified with her arm outstretched as if she had been holding something. She suspects it’s connected to her other dream about herself and Hermione navigating the castle with a mirror. But are they just bad dreams, or visions of the future? 

She has a feeling Professor Trelawney would know. The Divination teacher is eccentric but knows what she’s talking about when it comes to predicting the future. Y/n picks up the journal and whispers “y/n Weasley” to open it. Three dreams stick out in her mind, all of which happened this school year. 

First, the dream about wandering with Hermione and a mirror. Second, the dream about the adult versions of herself and George. She blushes as she rereads that dream. It marks the true beginning of her crush on him. The third and latest dream, her own petrification at Hogwarts.

Her mind definitely seems to be warning her about the Heir of Slytherin’s wrath, if she believes the dreams are visions. But if she’s learned anything from her Divination textbooks, it’s that changing a vision of the future is near impossible. 

And what about the far off future for her and George? They seem to get very close. She blushes again, glad she’s alone in her room. That’s the one dream she hopes will come true. If all three dreams are visions of the future, then maybe being petrified won’t be forever. Y/n is taken aback at that thought. 

Has she already accepted that she’ll be attacked? Apparently so. 

—

“George!” 

Y/n flings herself at him and he catches her easily with a grin. 

“Oi, what am I? Frog liver?” 

“Sorry, Freddie,” she snickers, pulling away from George to hug his twin. 

George reluctantly releases her and catches her fathers eye, swallowing guiltily under the man’s sharp gaze. Y/n doesn’t notice the silent exchange as she hugs Ginny and gives Percy a friendly grin. 

“Y/n, honey, come say goodbye!” Her mother calls. 

The twins watch y/n hurry back to hug her parents tightly. 

“I don’t think her dad likes you,” Fred teases his twin, nudging him in the side. 

“Shut up,” George snaps, jabbing his elbow into Fred’s ribs. 

Diana and Lee join the trio – together surprisingly – as the train is being boarded. Y/n raises her eyebrows at her best friend, who bites back a grin while Lee catches up with the twins. Y/n pulls George aside before they join the group in a compartment. 

“Here, I made another batch before I left,” she whispers, pulling a tupperware of fudge from her bag. “Let’s see how long you can make it last.”

His face lights up as he takes the container, popping a piece of fudge in his mouth and moaning in approval. George pulls her into a crushing hug and kisses the top of her head, making her flush scarlet. Her face is still very red when they enter the compartment and he stuffs the fudge into his trunk as she sits next to her best friend.

“You alright, y/n?” Diana asks quietly. 

Y/n realizes she never told Diana about the night she snuck out to the quidditch field with George. 

“Remind me to tell you about something when we get to our dorm,” she whispers, clutching her face to try to hide her blush. 

“Ooooooh, what did you do?” 

“ _Shut up!_ ”

—

“ _You snuck out?!_ ” 

“ _Shut up!_ ”

“Sorry!”

Y/n and Diana are huddled together in a corner of the Hufflepuff common room, whispering and giggling as y/n tells the story. 

“We went to the quidditch field, to the top of the stands and sat together, just talking.”

“That’s so sweet!” Diana coos.

“He let me lean on him and he held me when I said I was cold,” y/n reminisces dreamily. 

“I didn’t know the twins could be romantic,” Diana giggles quietly. 

“I don’t know about Fred but George is so sweet to me. We almost got caught by Hagrid so we ran back to the castle, he walked me back to the basement and he kissed me here,” she points to the spot on her forehead. “Oh! And he kissed my hand when we were first on our way outside.”

“Merlin’s beard, y/n, that’s so cute I’m going to _die_.” Diana sighs and frowns. “I wish Lee would do things like that with me.”

“Hey! He held your hand in Hogsmead, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, but that’s all.”

“Don’t sound so disappointed, he obviously likes you!”

“You think so?”

“ _Definitely._ ”

—

Y/n looks up from _Standard Book of Spells: Grade 3_ at the sound of Hermione’s gasp from a few feet away. The second year girl is bent over a book and suddenly the dream of y/n leading her through the corridor with a mirror bursts into her mind. It’s time. Y/n quickly packs up her things and hurries over to Hermione.

“What’s wrong?”

Hermione jumps slightly in surprise, looking up at y/n with a startled expression. 

“Y/n, what is it?”

“What made you gasp?”

“It’s nothing, just something interesting…”

“ _Hermione._ ” Y/n gives her a hard look. “You can trust me.”

“....it’s a basilisk,” Hermione whispers in a rush, pointing at the page. 

Y/n scans the passage, growing more alarmed as she reads. 

“Why aren’t the victims dead?” 

“I don’t know but nothing else fits.”

The girls fall silent until y/n realizes the purpose of the mirror in her dream. 

“It’s because none of them looked it in the eye,” she whispers urgently. “There was water on the floor the night Mrs. Norris was attacked, she must have seen it’s _reflection_. Colin Creevey saw it through his camera, Justin Finch-Fletchley saw it through Nearly Headless Nick, who caught the worst of it.”

“Oh my goodness,” Hermione gasps quietly. “It must be using the pipes around school to get everywhere!”

“We have to tell Professor Dumbledore!”

Hermione grimaces as y/n scrawls _pipes_ on the page then rips it from the heavy book, crumpling it up and handing it to Hermione. Y/n digs through her bag to pull out her hand mirror and they peer around corners on their way to Professor McGonagall’s office. As they’re approaching a corner, y/n hears a familiar hiss –

A huge pair of beady, yellow eyes peer at them through the mirror and they seize up, falling to the floor stiffly. Y/n doesn’t know what she expected it to feel like, but she didn’t expect to be conscious while petrified. She could still see and hear everything around her so when the sound of something heavy sliding across the stone floor grew closer, she desperately wished she could scream. 

She can’t see Hermione, who was behind her, but she can hear approaching footsteps. The slithering noise retreats and relief floods through y/n’s body. The footsteps bring voices, then a gasp and a shriek. A girl screams for a teacher and Y/n and Hermione are quickly carried to the hospital wing. 

—

“Y/n, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m so sorry,” George whispers. “They’re talking about closing the school.”

Y/n can only stare at the ceiling above her, she can’t see George sitting next to her bed but she can hear him. 

“I wrote to your parents for you,” he continues quietly. “Your mum wrote back saying your dad broke her fancy vase over the fireplace. Her reply to my letter was included in an envelope to Dumbledore from Newt. She said your dad is ‘threatening to sue’.”

If she could laugh, she would. That sounds like her dad. She can feel George touch her hand on the bed, squeezing it gently. 

“Professor Sprout says the mandrakes will be ready in a few days. Ginny is beside herself,” he says, concern for his sister finally in his voice. “I think she thinks all this is because of something she did, which is ridiculous of course.” George sighs. “I’m sorry, y/n. I said I’d look out for you but here you are.”

Y/n wants to tell him it wasn’t his fault. To tell him she isn’t angry. Shock overwhelms her as George stands and leans over her, pressing his lips against hers briefly. Curse that damn snake, this isn’t how she wanted her first kiss to go! She almost wishes he hadn’t done that because now she’ll be thinking about it until she’s cured. 

She hears the curtain around her bed being pulld open, then closed again. George must have left. His retreating footsteps stop and he talks to someone. Y/n strains to hear them. 

“...they’re still aware of their surroundings, of course, so I imagine it’s a great comfort for her to have you talking to her…”

“Sh-she’s aware of what I do and say?” George stutters.

If y/n died right here and now, she would be fine with that.

“Yes. I don't see any harm in you visiting again tomorrow to talk to her more, so feel free.”

She hears George hurry out of the hospital wing as Madam Pomfrey comes into y/n’s curtain to check on her. 

—

Y/n sprints into the Great Hall behind Hermione, heading straight for Diana at the Hufflepuff table. The girls launch themselves at each other, crying happy tears. Diana tries to explain everything in a rush but y/n clamps a hand over her mouth.

“Explain later, let’s celebrate!”

“I’m all for that,” a familiar voice says behind y/n. 

She turns around to see George grinning down at her nervously. 

“I don’t know if you were alert at the time but I visited you in the hospital and well, I, er –“

“Shut up, Weasley,” y/n says with a grin. 

She seizes him by the collar of his shirt and pulls him down to her level to kiss him roughly. (“Merlin’s beard, y/n!” Diana squeals.) When she releases him, he seems dazed but he quickly recovers and kisses her back. 

“It’s about bloody time!”

Y/n can hear Fred shouting at them in the distance as she clings to George. Diana jabs y/n in the side. 

“Oi! Back to Earth, you two!”

They finally break apart, red-faced and breathless. Y/n giggles and grabs George’s hand to drag him over to the Hufflepuff table for once. The two sit close together as they eat and he tells her about the letters he sent back and forth with her mom while she had been petrified. She gives him another smacking kiss on his cheek, pleased he did that for her. When the feast ends, they try to sneak y/n into Gryffindor tower but Percy catches them and personally escorts her to Hufflepuff basement, much to her mortification. 

The last few weeks of the school year are spent with y/n and George practically glued to each other’s side, sneaking off between classes to kiss at every opportunity. They were almost caught by Percy once, barely escaping by chucking a dungbomb down the stairs at him. 

“I don’t think my dad will like me having a boyfriend somewhere he can’t supervise us,” y/n is telling George as they’re loading their belongings onto the train. 

“So don’t say anything yet,” he shrugs, letting her climb on first.

“You want me to lie?”

“It’s not lying if you just don’t tell them.”

“ _Your_ parents probably know already,” she rolls her eyes. “I’m willing to bet Percy tattled on you in a letter to your mom.”

The two squeezed into a compartment with Fred, Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione for the ride back to London. They all played Exploding Snap, taught y/n the Disarming spell they learn in the Dueling club, and set off the last of the twins’s fireworks. They were almost at King’s Cross when Harry asked Ginny about something.

“Ginny – what did you see Percy doing, that he didn’t want you to tell anyone?”

“Oh, that,” Ginny giggles. “Well – Percy’s got a _girlfriend_.”

Fred drops a stack of books on George’s head. (“Oi!”)

“ _What_?”

“It’s that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater,” Ginny continues. “That’s who he was writing to all last summer. He’s been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them _kissing_ in an empty classroom one day. You won’t tease him, will you?” She adds anxiously. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Fred says delightedly. 

“Definitely not,” George snickers and y/n lets out a snort of laughter. 

When they get off the train, y/n spots her parents immediately and grins mischievously. Meeting her father’s eyes briefly, she turns and grabs George by the collar to pull him into a quick kiss. 

“Write me or I’ll send you a Howler,” she teases. 

He gives her a dreamy look, then turns and sees her father glaring daggers right into his eyes. He cringes.

“Bloody hell. You did that on purpose.”

“ _I_ don’t keep secrets from my parents,” she sings, patting his cheek before hurrying off to hug her parents. 

“Tell me I did not just see you _kiss_ that Weasley boy,” her father says through gritted teeth. 

“You did not just see me kiss George Weasley, dad,” y/n giggles as she waves goodbye to her friends.


	5. Year Four - Prisoner of Where? Part 1

**_MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE_ ** _  
Arthur Weasley, Head of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual **Daily Prophet** Grand Prize Galleon Draw. _

_A delighted Mr. Weasley told the **Daily Prophet** , “We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringott’s Wizarding Bank.”_

_The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend._

The moving photograph shows all nine Weasleys standing in front of a large pyramid, waving at y/n furiously. She’s so happy for them, they deserve the prize money more than anyone else she knows. 

_Y/n –_

_Egypt is cool and everything, but it would be better with you along. Bill showed us all the tombs and it’s wicked all the curses old Egyptian wizards put on them. There were a bunch of mutant skeletons in the last one, bodies of Muggles who broke in and grew extra limbs and cool stuff._

_Me and Fred snuck beetles into Bill’s soup without him noticing, it was brilliant. We also tried to trap Percy in a pyramid but mum caught us._

_I found something in a shop I thought you’d like, but I want to wait and give it to you in person. We’re gonna be at Diagon Alley next week, maybe I can see you then?_

_Missing you,  
– George_

_PS: Percy is Head Boy and won’t shut up about it._

Y/n had bought a special folder specifically for holding letters and notes from George, she doesn’t want to lose any of them. The note from last year of George asking her to sneak out with him is the first page carefully stored in the folder. She’ll die of embarrassment if anyone finds this folder. But all summer, she hasn’t stopped thinking about her dream/vision about her future with George. 

She’s hesitant to ask any of her wizarding friends about the Death Eaters mentioned by her future self. It doesn’t sound like anything good and she knows they would ask where she heard it. She doubts they’ll believe it was from a dream. George only indulges her visions because he dates her, she’s sure. But she doesn’t talk about them much except in Divination class. 

Again, she debates sending a letter to Professor Trelawney about it, but decides it can wait. There’s no real rush, considering how far into the future the dream seemed to be. Still… 

“ _Death Eaters came to the house! The Cruciatus curse! I couldn’t save them!_ ”

She shivers at the memory of the despair in that voice, then clips the photo out of the newspaper and tucks it into her folder. 

—

“George!” 

Y/n darts across the room towards the lanky red-headed figure sitting at a table in the corner of the Leaky Cauldron. 

“Y/n, come back!” Her father says sternly. 

She ignores him and tackles George from behind, nearly knocking him off his chair. 

“Blimey, L/n, you’d think you hadn’t seen him in years,” Fred teases from her right. 

“Piss off, Fred,” y/n mumbles. 

George twists in his chair to pull y/n into his lap, kissing her deeply. He flinches as her father claps a hand on George’s shoulder and y/n groans, standing. 

“Come talk with me, son,” her father says, leaving no room for argument. 

“Dad, you don’t have to–“

“Just wait here with your mother.”

“It’s fine, L/n,” George tells her with a wink as he stands to follow her father to another table out of earshot. 

Y/n runs her hands over her face and moans in embarrassment. 

“You do remember you’re fourteen, yes?” Her mother says over her shoulder.

“I’m aware, mom.”

“A bit young for a boyfriend, don’t you think?”

“No, I don’t think that,” Y/n says stubbornly, still watching her father. 

George seems completely at ease while being interrogated, but y/n can see the nerves in his fingers drumming on his knee. He smirks as he says something – obviously a joke – and y/n gives a sigh of relief when her father barks out a laugh. They stand and her father claps George on the back with a smile. 

“See? If he can make your father laugh, he’ll do fine,” her mother chuckles. 

“Alright, I’ll stop torturing you, y/n,” her father sighs as he approaches with George, hand still on the teen’s shoulder. 

“Daddy approved, are you, Georgie?” Y/n hears Fred whisper to his twin, who elbows him in the ribs. 

“Come on hun,” her father releases George to usher his wife away, “Arthur and Molly wanted to talk to us.”

“Did he try to intimidate you?” Y/n whispers to George urgently, frowning when he pretends to lock his mouth. “Oh, you can’t be serious!”

He smiles and shrugs. She pinches his side and he yelps. 

“Oi! Blimey, woman, calm yourself! He wanted to know how long we’ve been dating and how long I liked you before we got together.”

“Oh.”

“See? Not a big deal.”

“What did you say?”

“That we only started dating about three weeks before end of term.”

“...and the other question?”

“Oh no, I’m not telling you anything.”

“George!”

“Sorry, love,” he gives her the crooked smile she loves so much as he starts backing away.

“Get back here, you cheeky son of a – “

“ _Y/n! _”__

__“Sorry mom, sorry Mrs. Weasley! Ron, hey how was Egypt….”_ _

__—_ _

__“I think the poor shopkeep nearly fainted when we all walked in,” y/n chuckles as they leave Flourish and Blotts._ _

__She holds a struggling, growling book that’s bound tightly closed. _The Monster Book of Monsters._ What Professor Kettleburn was thinking when assigning this text, y/n has no idea but she does _not_ look forward to trying to read the damn thing. _ _

__“I’m surprised you’re still taking Care of Magical Creatures,” George says as the couple walks back to the Leaky Cauldron with his family._ _

__“I think magical creatures are fascinating!”_ _

__“You think all magic is fascinating, L/n,” Fred teases._ _

__“Your dad thinks all Muggle things are fascinating,” she points out, almost defensively._ _

__“Yeah but dad’s always been a bit of an oddball,” George says dismissively._ _

__Y/n frowns as they enter the inn, then lights up when she sees Harry and Hermione._ _

__“Harry! Hermione!” She hurries over and pulls them each into a hug._ _

__“Y/n, how was your summer?” Hermione asks, a bit breathless from the crushing Hufflepuff hug._ _

__“Uneventful, I just spent time with my parents,” she shrugs._ _

__“That sounds nice!”_ _

__“Apparently Percy made Head Boy,” Y/n comments, fighting back an amused smile._ _

__“I know, he must be so pleased!”_ _

__“That’s one way to put it,” she coughs a laugh as she watches Percy shake Harry’s hand as if meeting him for the first time._ _

__“Harry!” Fred exclaims, pushing Percy aside and bowing. “Simply splendid to see you, old boy - “_ _

__“Marvelous,” George says, pushing Fred out of the way and grabbing Harry’s hand. “Absolutely spiffing. “_ _

__Y/n snorts in barely-contained laughter and Percy glares at her._ _

__“That’s enough, now,” says Mrs. Weasley._ _

__“Mum!” Fred says as if he just saw her and seizes her hand too. “How really corking to see you - “_ _

__“I said, that’s enough!” Mrs. Weasley snaps as y/n cackles in the corner. “Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you’ve heard our exciting news?” She points at the shiny new silver badge pinned to Percy’s shirt. “Second Head Boy in the family!”_ _

__“And last,” Fred mumbles under his breath._ _

__“I don’t doubt that,” Mrs. Weasley says with a frown. “I notice they haven’t made you two prefects.”_ _

__“What do we want to be prefects for?” George says, revolted at the mere thought. “It’d take all the fun out of life.”_ _

__“I shudder to imagine either of them as a prefect,” y/n pretends to shiver as Ginny giggles._ _

__“Please don’t encourage them, y/n,” Mrs. Weasley begs, then snaps at the twins. “You might want to set a better example for your sister!”_ _

__Ginny’s got other brothers to set her an example, Mother,” Percy says snobbishly. “I’m going up to change for dinner…”_ _

__He disappears and George sighs._ _

__“We tried to shut him in a pyramid,” he tells Harry, making y/n burst out laughing again. “But mum spotted us.”_ _

__As the others split into other conversations, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley approach y/n with her parents and pull her aside._ _

__“Your mother and I have to go out of town tonight so we won’t be able to see you off, but Molly and Arthur have agreed to watch you and take you to the station for us,” her father says regretfully._ _

__“I know you won’t cause any trouble for them,” her mother says, her tone almost daring y/n to raise any kind of trouble._ _

__“Of course!” Y/n says quickly. “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, I won’t cause any problems. I promise.”_ _

__“Our pleasure, dear,” Mrs. Weasley smiles._ _

__As she’s saying her farewells, her father whispers in her ear._ _

__“Don’t even think about letting George into your room tonight, young lady.”_ _

__Y/n gulps and nods vigorously. “I won’t, dad.”_ _

__—_ _

__“How’re we getting to King’s Cross tomorrow, dad?” Fred asks over a dessert of chocolate pudding._ _

__“The Ministry’s providing a couple of cars,” Mr. Weasley says._ _

__Everyone looks at him._ _

__“Why?” asks Percy curiously._ _

__“It’s because of you, Perce,” says George seriously. “And there’ll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them - “_ _

__“ - for Humongous Bighead,” Fred finishes._ _

__Everyone but Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorts into their pudding. Y/n accidentally inhales a bit of it and George pats her on the back while she coughs._ _

__“Why are the Ministry providing cars, father?” Percy asks again in a dignified voice._ _

__“Well, as we haven’t got one anymore,” says Mr. Weasley, “ - and as I work there, they’re doing me a favor - “_ _

__But his ears go suspiciously red and his wife speaks up._ _

__“Good thing, too,” Mrs. Weasley says briskly. “Do you realize how much luggage you’ve all got between you? A nice sight you’d be on the Muggle Underground…” Y/n snickers at the mental image. “You are all packed, aren’t you?”_ _

__“My parents are dropping off my luggage any moment now,” y/n speaks up._ _

__“Ron hasn’t put all his new things in his trunk yet,” Percy says in a voice that nearly sounds like a whine. “He’s dumped them on my bed.”_ _

__“You’d better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won’t have much time in the morning,” Mrs. Weasley calls down the table, and Ron scowls at Percy._ _

__After dinner Mrs. Weasley quickly separates y/n from George, insisting she share a room with Ginny. Y/n says her goodbyes to her parents all over again when they drop off Newt and her suitcase. On her way back to her and Ginny’s room, the twins manage to catch her._ _

__“Y/n, love, I need a favor,” George says quietly._ _

__“What is it?”_ _

__“We need you to distract Percy so we can nick his badge,” Fred smirks mischievously._ _

__“You had me at ‘distract Percy’,” she grins wickedly._ _

__The twins disappear down the hall and she continues dragging her belongings toward her room. On the way, she knocks on the door of number twelve._ _

__“Percy? Do you have a moment?”_ _

__Percy opens the door and Y/n can see Ron stuffing school supplies haphazardly into his trunk._ _

__“Is something the matter, Y/n?” Percy asks seriously, raising an eyebrow at her._ _

__“Could you walk with me for a bit? I was wondering if you could explain to me what sort of responsibilities you’ll have as Head Boy, you see I’m hoping to be Head Girl myself one day…”_ _

__—_ _

__“I couldn’t find a good moment to give you this but I’m tired of waiting so I’ll give it to you now,” George says quickly, digging in his pocket._ _

__The platform is crowded and loud but they had found a corner to talk in. Y/n raises an eyebrow at the small white box he hands her, complete with a gold bow._ _

__“How much did you spend on this?” She asks, taking the box._ _

__“Don’t worry about it,” he says evasively. “Just open it.”_ _

__She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Lifting the lid, she gasps quietly. She doesn’t see the delighted grin on his face as he watches her reaction. It’s a golden necklace, a sun pendant the size of a penny with a gloss of amber in the center. She doesn’t want to think about what this cost him. The chain is thin and dainty, and the gem sparkles even without light striking it. She looks up at George, eyes watery._ _

__“I can’t possibly accept this.”_ _

__“Too late, nonrefundable,” he smirks. “Let me put it on you.”_ _

__She shakes her head but turns and lifts her hair to let him fasten it around her neck. The pendant rests between her collarbones, shining even without light on it. She runs a finger along the chain absently, then turns to face him again and grabs his shirt to pull him down into a kiss._ _

__“You’re too good to me, sweetheart,” she mumbles against his lips._ _

__“You are my sunshine, love,” he chuckles._ _

__“Like the song?”_ _

__His brow furrows. “What song?”_ _

__“It’s a muggle thing,” she shakes her head dismissively._ _

__“No, go on, tell me.”_ _

__“Another time, you big sap.”_ _

__\---_ _

__They’re on the train with Fred, Lee and Diana, all talking amongst themselves when y/n has a strange thought._ _

__“George, I have a question for you.”_ _

__“What is it, love?”_ _

__“If I were a worm, would you step on me?”_ _

__“No, what kind of question is that?”_ _

__“What would you do with me?”_ _

__He thinks for a moment._ _

__“I’d pick you up and cuddle you,” he says with his lopsided grin._ _

__“But I’m a slimy disgusting worm!”_ _

__“Yeah, but you’re **my** slimy disgusting worm.”_ _

__“You’re such a mushy idiot,” y/n laughs._ _

__She checks her watch as the train suddenly starts to slow._ _

__“Why are we stopping? There’s no way we’re there already.”_ _

__Diana shrugs, then shrieks as the lights go out and the train jerks to a stop. Y/n’s hand immediately reaches for George, who she can already feel weaving his arm around her waist to steady her._ _

__“What’s going on?”_ _

__“Lee, that’s my foot!”_ _

__“Sorry Diana.”_ _

__Y/n can make out a shadowy figure of Fred wiping the foggy window._ _

__“Can you see anything?” she asks._ _

__“Someone is coming on board,” he says, curiosity in his voice._ _

__The others speculate among themselves but y/n looks toward the compartment door. Is it the dark playing tricks on her eyes, or is something moving in the corridor._ _

__“Does anyone else see that in the hall?” she asks quietly._ _

__“...see what?”_ _

__“I think something is out there…” she suddenly remembers the tiny flashlight keychain her parents gave her and digs it out of her pocket. “Hold on, let me just…”_ _

__Y/n stands and carefully moves to the window of the door and shines the light into the hall, then has to bite back a scream. A black figure stretching to the ceiling floats down the hall, it’s black cloak billowing in a nonexistent wind. It has boney hands that look like something decaying underwater. She drops the flashlight and stumbles back into George, who catches her from falling._ _

__“Who is it?” he asks._ _

__“I don’t think it’s human,” she whispers._ _

__Curious, Lee picks up the flashlight and shines it out the hall again._ _

__“Dementors!” He gasps. “What are dementors doing on the train?”_ _

__“What’s a dementor?” Y/n asks shakily as George guides her back to her seat._ _

__Lee hands her the flashlight and she turns it off just as the lights come on again. The train jerks into motion again and they’re on their way to Hogwarts._ _

__“They guard Azkaban,” Diana explains, still on edge. “Who knows why they were on the train…”_ _

__\---_ _

___**Harry and Cedric Diggory are in a misty graveyard, in the dark of night. Y/n follows them as they walk forward through graves. Harry collapses in pain, gripping his head and Cedric bends over in concern. A high voice says something Y/n can’t make out and Cedric falls limply to the ground in a flash of green light. Harry screams -** _ _ _

__“Y/N!!”_ _

__She shoots upright with a shout. Diana is sitting on the bed next to her, a hand on her shoulder. The other girls in their dorm room stare at her in the low lamp light._ _

__“Wh-what happened?”_ _

__“You were shouting in your sleep,” Diana says quietly._ _

__“What was I saying?”_ _

__“‘Harry, run,’ over and over.”_ _

__Y/n runs her hands over her face and shudders._ _

__“I’m sorry for waking you all up,” she says quietly. “I’m fine.”_ _


End file.
